MACQUARIE HARBOUR PENAL SETTLEMENT
1822 to 2022 - 200TH ANNIVERSARY

Monday 3rd January 2022 marks the 200th anniversary of the establishment of the Macquarie Harbour Penal Settlement on the west coast of Tasmania.

On 12th December 1821, two ships departed Hobart – the Sophia and the Prince Leopold – with the new settlement’s Commandant, Lieutenant John Cuthbertson, Assistant Colonial Surgeon James Spence, Pilot James Lucas, 16 soldiers of the 48th Regiment and 75 male and female convicts.

The 2 ships were separated on the voyage, with the Prince Leopold overshooting the mouth of the harbour in bad weather, and not arriving until 17th February 1822.

The Sophia arrived at Macquarie Heads on 30th December 1821, but took 4 days to arrive at the site of the new settlement

On 3rd January 1822, in “tempestuous and rainy weather”, Hobart Town’s Harbour Master and skipper of the Sophia, James Kelly, moored off Sarah Island and the Macquarie Harbour Penal Settlement began.

The 200th anniversary will be marked with a ‘Welcome to Country’, an acknowledgement of the original custodians of the west coast and a 're-enactment' of the first day of landing on Sarah Island.

The 200th anniversary event is to coincide with the times of the morning and afternoon cruises are on the island, arriving 4 times throughout the day (approx. 10:30am, 12:45pm, 4:30pm, 6:45pm).

The event will consist of a “landing” of convicts and soldiers. A small boat with ’soldiers and convicts’ aboard, will 'arrive' and land on the beach below the boardwalk.

Visitors will witness the soldiers and convicts landing and unloading ’supplies’, as part of the 1 hour guided tour around Sarah Island.

To be on Sarah Island for the 200th anniversary event, book a cruise with World Heritage Cruises (departing 9am and 3:15pm) or Gordon River Cruises (departing 8:30am and 3:30pm).

For further details on how to book these cruises, please contact:

World Heritage Cruises
PO Box 93, Strahan TAS 7468 Australia
Phone: 61 3 6471 7174
Email: bookings@worldheritagecruises.com.au
Website: www.worldheritagecruises.com.au

Gordon River Cruises
The Esplanade, Strahan TAS 7468 Australia
Phone: 61 3 6471 4300
Email: info@gordonrivercruises.com.au
Website: www.gordonrivercruises.com.au

For more information, please contact The Round Earth Company. Contact details below.